Packaged product and method of producing the same



uu'uun 1 HUUH Oct. 18, 1949. G. H. MCDONELL PACKAGED PRODUCT AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Jan. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

iZOZ @M 4w @247 A TTOENEYS ocmm mum Ogt. 18, 1949. G. H. MCDQNELL PACKAGED PRODUCT AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Jan. 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTUR? Patented Oct. 18, 1949 PACKAGED PRODUCT AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Gordon H. McDonell, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 15, 1946, Serial No. 641,391

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to a packaged product and a method of producing the same and has particular reference to such a product having an identifying mark formed therein.

An object of the invention is the provision of a packaged product and a method for creating the same wherein a letter forming die plate is packaged with the product in a manner to produce an identifying mark on the product and when the product is withdrawn from the package and the die plate is removed from the product, the lettered product becomes a display feature.

Another object is the provision of such a product and method wherein the identifying mark is produced in the product while the product is being packaged so that the product may be molded to the shape of the package for removal as a unit having a self-contained identifying mark.

Another object is the provision of such a product and method wherein a lining is provided in the package so that the molded and identified product may be readily removed from the package as a unit.

Another object is the provision of such a product and method wherein the identifying mark in the product is protected against obliteration and defacement during withdrawal of the product from the package so that the mark will be clear cut and pronounced when displayed as a unit product even though the product is of the comminuted variety.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which. taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealed package containing a product having an identifying mark embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the product, its marking plate and its wrapper after removal as a unit from the package shown in Fig. 1, the view showing the marking plate partially removed from the product to display the identifying mark:

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the product alone showing the identifying mark therein;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of marking plate, with a portion broken away; and

Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8 are perspective views of a portion of a stuffing horn, the marking plate, the product wrapper or liner and the package in various stages of being assembled and the product deposited in the package and sealed for treatment 2 and shipment in accordance with the method steps of the instant invention.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings illustrate a molded comminuted meat product I I having an identifying mark l2 formed therein and packaged in a sheet metal container or can I3 although the invention is equally well adapted to other products and to containers made of different materials.

The can preferably is made of tin plate and comprises a tubular body ll of rectangular cross section, having top and bottom end members l5, l6 secured thereto in suitable end seams ll. Adjacent the top end member, the body II is provided with an encircling tearing strip 18 adapted to be removed in opening the can, by a key l9 (Fig. '7) attached to the top end member l5.

Within the can the molded meat product, ll preferably is wrapped in a sheet of parchment paper 22 (Fig. 2) and this wrapper serves as a liner for the can to facilitate easy removal of the product as a unit from the can. In some cases where a parchment paper liner is undesirable the inside walls of the can itself may be coated with a film of lining material. It has been found that lard deposited on the walls of the can makes a suitable lining material and the can enamels ordinaril used for protecting the interior of cans against corrosion are suitable for the above purpose.

Provision is made for producing an identifying mark in the meat product, of the meat particles themselves. Provision also is made for protecting the mark against obliteration or defacement when removing the product from the can. For this purpose a single use letter forming die plate 24 (Fig. 2) is disposed against and pressed into an outer surface of the meat product and is enclosed by the parchment paper wrapper 22 prior to packing in the can l3. The die plate thus comes between the product and the can liner.

The letter forming die plate 24 preferably is made of fibre, such as virgin bleached sulphate or sulphate stock although other materials, such as metals, plastics or the like may be utilized if desired. In some cases the die plate may be coated with an edible fat or oil to prevent sticking of the plate to the product. A laminated stock such as vegetable parchment is also suitable for this purpose.

This letter forming die plate 24 preferably is made in the form of a stencil having cut out letters 25 or other indicia desired to be formed in the meat product. When such a stencil is placed against the product, the particles of the meat adjacent the out out portions of the stencil fill these openings and thus an embossed identifying mark is produced on the outer surface of the product. This stencil remains in contact with the product and is encased in the can with the liner 22 and is shipped with the can as a unit. The stencil protects the identifying mark from being obliterated or defaced while in the can.

When the can is opened as by removal of the tearing strip l8 and the meat product as a unit is removed and unwrapped, if a parchment liner is used the stencil 24 is lifted or peeled off as shown in Fig. 2 and is discarded. This removal of the stencil leaves the identifying mark 12 in relief as an embossment on the outer surface of the unit product as shown in Fig. 3. Such a lettered product may be utilized for display or exhibit purposes as in delicatessen stores, restaurants and other purveyors of meat products.

As a modified form of the invention the letter forming die plate 24 may be a closed plate 21 having embossed letters or other indicia 28 formed thereon as shown in Fig. 4. Such a die plate may be used in a manner similar to that of the stencil. However, instead of an embossed or raised identifying mark being formed on the meat product, the mark will be depressed in the product.

Packaging of such an identified product in cans in accordance with the method steps of the instant invention is illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings. As the first step in this method, a single use letter forming die plate 21 is positioned against the outer surface of a stuffing horn or nozzle 3| as shown in Fig. 5. This stuffing horn is formed with a product discharge orifice 32 which extends through the horn and is open at the outer end of the horn. The horn may form a part of a conventional meat stuffing machine.

With the die plate 21 in this position on the stuffing horn 3|, the parchment paper liner sheet 22 is Wrapped around the horn and the die plate with the outer end of the sheet projecting a predetermined amount beyond the outer end of the horn. The linersheet thus encloses the die plate as shown in Fig. 6.

The outer ends of the liner sheet then are folded over the end of the horn and form a bottom 33 for the resulting liner. Thus a tubular liner having the die plate 21 disposed against an inner surface thereof is produced for the can 13. Where a liner of coating material is applied directly to the inner surfaces of the can l3 the parchment paper liner and the step of forming the liner may be omitted.

Following the step of forming the liner 22, a can I3 having its bottom end open is telescoped over the formed liner 22 on the stuffing horn 3|, as shown in Fig. 7. It is moved from this position unt l the top of the can engages against the end of the horn. This action positions the liner in the can. The liner thus covers the inner surfaces of the side walls and of the top end member 15 of the can. A portion of the liner adjacent the open bottom end of the can extends beyond the can body so that it subsequently may be folded over against the product. Such a final fold will be made after the can is filled.

With the lined can I3 and its enclosed die plate 2'! still on the stuffing horn 3|, the comminuted meat product is extruded under pressure into the lined can through the horn. The flow of the meat product into the can is controlled by a stuffing valve which is a conventional part of the stuffing machine, being conveniently adjacent the inner end of the horn. In order to form a compact well molded loaf of meat in the can, pressure is applied to the top end of the can. This may be effected by the operator of the machine pressing against the top of the can or by some other means as desired.

The meat product as it enters the can against the pressure exerted on its top end, fills out the interior of the can and simultaneously pushes the can, the telescoped liner 22 and the enclosed die plate 21, along the horn toward its outer end. It is during this can filling or stuffing operation that the meat product is well compacted and is molded into the shape of the interior of the can. The meat particles are also forced against the die plate 21, this action forming the identifying mark l2 in the molded meat product.

Where the die plate is in the form of a stencil, as hereinbefore mentioned, the particles of meat as they are compacted into the can also enter the spaces forming the letters in the stencil and thus produce an embossed identifyin mark I 2.

When the can is filled with the comminuted meat product as when the can and its associated liner and the die plate are pushed off the outer end of the horn by the entering meat, the flow of meat is cut ofi by closing of the valve in the machine. The filled can is thereupon wiped off against the end of the horn to cut off any strings of meat extending from the end of the horn.

Following this filling operation, the can and its contents usually are check weighed. With the die plate 21 still in place in the can between the meat product and the liner 22 the protruding ends of the liner are folded down over the open end of the meat. The bottom end member I 6 then may be loosely applied to the can and the interior of the can vacuumized or otherwise treated if desired.

The loosely applied bottom end member 16 is permanently secured in place as by the formation of a suitable end seam I! in any suitable manner. Fig. 8 illustrates principal parts of a conventional can closing machine in which a chuck 35 and a roller 36 rotating around the chuck may be used to produce the well known double seam type of joint. With this sealing of the can and its enclosed liner, the plate and meat product, the can is ready for any subsequent treatment such as cooking in a retort and shipment to the consumer.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, I

construction and arrangement of the parts and that changes may be made in the steps of the process described and their order of accomplishment without departin from the spirit and scop of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described be ing merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

The method of packaging and identifying a comminuted meat product in a can, comprising placing a removable die plate having a product identifying indicia embossed thereon adjacent the inner wall surface of an open empty can, said die plate being substantially unaffected when subjected to sterilizing heat progressively stuffing a comminuted meat product into the open end of the can to fill the can and to press the product closely against said embossed die plate to conform the product surface to the face of the QLHHUH UUl 2,484,842 5 die plate and thus transfer and emboss the REFERENCES CITED identifying indicia on the plate directly onto the adjacent outer surface of the filled comminuted s s i fiig gzf gff are of record m the meat product, and finally sealing the filled can to provide a protected molded comminuted meat 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS product having identifying indicia integrally em- Number Name bossed thereon, whereby to identify the product 1090 102 Gramser fg' after the same is withdrawn as a unit from the 1502006 Alvord 1924 can and mm contact with Said die p1ate- 2 034 747 Collins :IZIII: Mar. 24 1936 2,179,676 Vogt Nov. 14, 1939 GORDON MCDONELL- 2,255,810 Replogle Sept. 16, 1941 

